Improvements, Clout Sought In Northwest

November 6, 1985|By Marilyn Weeks, staff writer

Legend has it that during the Great Depression, Fort Lauderdale decided to de-annex much of the section between what is now Interstate 95 and State Road 7, promising that the area could come back into the city when things got better.

At least half of the legend is true. Maps at the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society show the fledgling city`s 1925 boundaries stretching from Oakland Park to Griffin Road and from the ocean to State Road 7.

``I don`t know for a fact that they ever intended to take it back,`` said Dan Hobby, executive director of the historical society. ``But they made the (de- annexation) move out of desperation. They could not afford to provide services, the area had little or no tax base and (the city) got rid of an unprofitable area.``

The area is still waiting to be reclaimed. Much of it still falls behind in services. Fort Lauderdale has agreed to annex the area only if it is part of a package deal that would bring in adjacent tax-rich residential or commercial properties to offset the cost.

``We have never had the services they had across town,`` said Margaret Roach, a longtime resident of the area. ``We still have no sidewalks, we had to wait for (federal funding) for sewers and paving in 1980. We had to pay for the first streetlights ourselves.``

She speaks for many blacks who believe that the area should be part of Fort Lauderdale to improve services and strengthen the black voice in a city where blacks are trying to force elections by districts through a federal lawsuit.

Black leader Art Kennedy said black representation on the Fort Lauderdale City Commission is a priority, but progress is being made through a special task force appointed by the commissioners to represent the northwest area. Kennedy is one of the board members.

The seven-member board, formed this summer, already has shown city officials a slide presentation illustrating such problems as drugs, prostitution and trash, and Kennedy said the community is seeing results.